Healthy interest in ferry contract

Transport companies and established tourism enterprises are amongthose who have responded to a call for expressions of interests to run the Daintree River Ferry.

Douglas Shire Council said more than 20 organisations and individuals, including some international players, had downloaded the EOI documents or contacted Douglas Shire Council, with a fortnight remaining.

The EOI was released to gauge market appetite and solicit ideas for managing the ferry contract, which is due to expire in June 2021.

Douglas Shire Mayor Julia Leu said Council was steadily building a robust list of potential tenderers.

Council is again inviting individuals and businesses to register their EOIs before March 27.

It is planning to be in a position to invite tenders by no later than 30 June 2019 and to award the contract by no later than 31 December 2019.

The Daintree Ferry, located about 50km north of Port Douglas, carries about 100,000 vehicles across the Daintree River every year.